Manifold control for typewriters



March v3, 1964 A. F. FACIUS ETAL MANIFOLD CONTROL FOR TYPEWRITERS Filed DeC. 27, 1960 FIG.

INV EN TORS.

This invention -relates to a manifold control for type- 1 writers and in particular to one in which the platen may be adjusted to vary the space between the platen and the type guide, independently of the number of sheets on the platen.

In power operated typewriters of the kind illustrated in Patent No. 2,638,199 to F. W. Schremp, May 12, 1953, the type bars are each thrown from an at rest position by a power roll and a cam controlled power arm until a heel on the bottom end of the type bar is arrested by an anvil to cause the upper end of the type bar to flex enough to strike the paper. lIt has been found, in practice, that better typing results are obtained, as well as sharper and clearer carbon copies, when the ltype snaps in a whipping action to strike the paper. In this patent, means are also shown for adjusting the throw of the type bar to vary the force of impact by adjusting the duration of force applied to the power arm by the power roll through adjustable cam means.

In this application it is an object of the invention to adjust the platen to maintain a denite impact point between the fixed type guide and the first sheet of paper on the platen and to also use the adjustment provided in the power mechanism of the patent referred to in combination with our device, under control of the typist, to obtain the best quality of printing on the first sheet and reproductions on the carbons in accordance with the number of sheets about the platen.

Further objects of the invention are to provide a device of the character referred to; which is economical in construction; lsimple in operation; has a minimum number of parts; provides a definite setting of adjustment; and makes use of a single operational controlled disk near the keyboard for convenient use by the typist.

Other objects and structural details of the invention will be apparent from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein yFIGURE 1 is a view looking at the right end of the upper part of -a typewriter showing the application of the invention thereto.

FIGURE 2 is a view looking at the left end of part of the typewriter as shown in FIGURE 1, and

FIGURE 3 is a vertical section taken on line 3-3 of FIGURE l showing the relative location of the right and left hand ends of the machine.

Referring to the drawing in detail, 1dl indica-tes a carriage bed rail which extends across the top of right and left side fra-mes 11 and 12 respectively, of a typewriter, which, while not shown herein, also includes power driven type bars and impact adjusting means therefore, as shown in the patent above referred to.

A carriage 13 is mounted for the usual letter space and return movements on the bed rail 1li and Carries a platen 14 about which is held one or more sheets of paper and carbon paper for receiving typing impressions. The bed rail y1li# carries at each end beyond each side frame a channel bracket l16 having depending strip and tab portions 17 and 18 respectively, the latter of which are connected by suitable screws 19 to the upper ends of four vertical strip springs 21 arranged in forwardly and rearwardly disposed pairs in flanking relation to said side frames 11 and 12. The lower end of each forward strip spring 21 is secured to a bracket Z2 mounted on the adjacent side frame While the lower end of each rearward lUnited States Patent O 3,123,194 Patented Mar. 3, 1964 ICC strip spring 21 is secured to a boss or stud 23 for-med on a cornered portion of the adjacent side frame. The springs 21 are rigidly flexible and support the carriage in floating position and olfer yieldable resistance to movement of the carriage, forwardly and rearwardly, from a central rest position.

Each bracket 16, in its strip portion 17, is recessed as at 24 and provided at opposite sides of the recess with a fixed bearing block 226 and an adjustable wear take-up block 27 the latter having -a bolt-in-a-slot connection 28 to the strip 17. The block 27 is adjustable to position the carriage as desired with respect to an eccentric cam 29 disposed between blocks 26 and 27 in said recess 24 and secured to the end of a cross shaft 31 journalled in the side frames 11 and 12. One cam Z9l is provided in each bracket so that the ends of the carriage rail can be adjusted forwardly and rearwardly, in uniform manner and accurately when the shaft 31 is rotated to turn the eccentric cams 219 in unison. The shaft 31 carries at one end, adjacent a cam Z9, an operating arm 32 connected by a forwardly extending link 33 to an adjusting disk |34 mounted on a stud 36 passing through the right side frame 11, which stud also has secured thereto on the inside of the frame a detent segment 37 whose serrated edge 38 coacts with the rollered end 39 of a detent lever 41 spring urged as at 42 to maintain the disk 34 at any position of adjustment. The disk 34 may be provided with sui-table indicia 413 on the face thereof to indicate the amount of adjustment desired in accordance with the number of sheets of paper and carbons supported on the platen. This adjustment, as .above noted, is for the purpose of altering the amount of space indica-ted at S in FIGURES 1 and 2 between the type guide 44 and the paper about the platen so that the distance the head of the type bar will whip can be adjusted to Vary the force of the impact of the type on the paper. 'Ihis adjustment, in combination 'with the adjustable power controlled type bar operating means of the patent referred to, provides very close control of the printing impact to give the best type impression on the first sheet and carlbons through the regular ink ribbon or the paper one-time ribbons in use in high speed typing.

While there is above described a particular embodiment of our invention, it is possible to produce other embodiments without departing from the inventive concept above disclosed and it is therefore desired that only such limitations shall be imposed on the appended claims as are stated therein, or required by the prior art.

What we claim is:

Il. In a manifold typing impact control for typewriters having a type guide and a platen; tension means mounting the platen for movement horizontally toward and away from said type guide, and means for flexing said tension means to position the platen a predetermined distance from said type guide, and to secure said tension means against inadvertent movement either towards or away from said type guide.

2. 1n a manifold typing impact control for typewriters having a type guide and a platen carriage; tension means mounting the carriage for movement horizontally toward and away from the guide including vertically disposed spring strips, and means for flexing said spring strips to position the platen a predetermined distance from said type guide, and to secure said carriage against inadvertent movement either towards or away from said type guide.

3. In a manifold typing impact control for typewriters having a type guide and a platen carriage; means mounting the carriage for moving the platen toward and away from the type guide, means for moving said mounting means, `and means for adjusting said moving means to position the platen a predetermined distance from said type guide, and to secure said moving means and thereby the mounting means and the platen against inadvertent movement either towards or away from said type guide.

4. A manifold typing impact control as set forth in claim 1 in which said' tension means includes vertically disposed spring strip means arranged at opposite ends of said platen and adapted in a free state to support the platen a predetermined distance from the guide.

5. A manifold typing impact control as set forth in claim l in which the platen mounting means includes a carriage, rail means along which said carriage travels and bracket means at opposite ends of said rail means and to which the tension means is secured.

6. In a manifold typing impact control for typewriters including side frames, the combination with a ixed type guide, platen carrier means, and track means on which said platen carrier means moves llateraliy of said type guide; of flexible members on said side frames attached to said track means `and constituting supporting means therefor, means for flexing said support means for moving the platen carrier means toward and away from said guide, and control means for controlling operation of said flexing means.

7i In a manifold typing impact control of the character set forth in claim 6 including bracket means attached to said track means at opposite ends thereof, and said bracket means having ear portions to which said flexible support means are secured.

8. vIn a manifolding typing impact control for typelwriters including side frames, the combination with a fixed type guide, platen carrier means, and track means on which said platen carrier means moves laterally on said guide; of exible members on said side frames constituting supporting means for said track means, means for flexing said support means for moving the platen carrier means forward and away from said guide, control means for said flexing means, bracket means having depending portions presenting openings at opposite ends of said track means, said support flexing means including a shaft extending through said side frames, cam means on said shaft disposed in the openings of said depending portions and means for oscillating said shaft to Hex said support means.

9. A manifolding typing impact control as set forth in claim 8, in which said shaft oscillating means includes an adjusting disk adjacent the keyboard of the typewriter, an operating arm on said shaft, a link connecting the disk l with said operating arm and detent means associated with said disk.

`101. 4A manifolding typing impact control for a typewriter including side frames, a bed rail extending laterally across said frames, a type guide, a platen carriage movable `on said bed rail, bracket means on said bed rail having openings therein, spring strip means supported on said frames and secured at the upper ends thereof to said bracket means and adapted when flexed to move the platen toward and `away from said type guide, a cross shaft extending through said side frames, cams on said shaft engaging the openings in said bracket means, operating arm means on said shaft, an adjusting disk at the front -of a side frame, a link connecting said operating arm means and the disk and movable by the latter to adjust the space between the platen and the type guide and detent means associated with said disk for yieldably maintaining the same at a selected position of adjustment.

l1. in a manifold typing impact control for typewriters having a type guide `and platen carrying means, spring strip means mounting said platen carrying means for movement toward and away from said type guide, cam means at opposite ends of said platen carrying means for flexing said strip means to adjust the movement of said platen carrying means, means for actuating said cam means, and wear take-up means associated with said cam means.

12. In a typewriter having a platen, a type guide and means for adjusting the printing impact of type bars on said platen; the combination with said adjusting means, of means including vertically disposed spring strips mounting the platen for movement horizontally toward and away from said type guide, 4and means for moving said mounting means to position the platen aV predetermined distance from said type guide and to secure said platen against inadvertent movement either towards or away fromsaid type guide, `said means for moving said mounting means including cam means for exing said spring strips to adjust the position of the platen with respect to said type guide.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,164,945 Lorenz Dec. 2l, 1915 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent N0vo 3,123,194 March 3, 1964 Arnold F 'Facus et a1e It s hereby Certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as Corrected below.

Column 4, after line 451v insert the fo11owiny:

signed and sealed this 7th day of july 1964Le (SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST WQ SWIDER EDWARD J. BRENNER fwastng Officer Commissioner of Patents 

1. IN A MANIFOLD TYPING IMPACT CONTROL FOR TYPEWRITERS HAVING A TYPE GUIDE AND A PLATEN; TENSION MEANS MOUNTING THE PLATEN FOR MOVEMENT HORIZONTALLY TOWARD AND AWAY FROM SAID TYPE GUIDE, AND MEANS FOR FLEXING SAID TENSION MEANS TO POSITION THE PLATEN A PREDETERMINED DISTANCE FROM SAID TYPE GUIDE, AND TO SECURE SAID TENSION MEANS AGAINST INADVERTENT MOVEMENT EITHER TOWARDS OR AWAY FROM SAID TYPE GUIDE. 